I think so-- there were some things about the writing that bugged me, but I suspect those same things were present in the first book, but the OBSESSION drowns them out and you don't remember any of that in the long run. And there are a few typical middle-book-in-trilogy issues if you think too hard about it. But as I said, the OBSESSION takes over and makes these little gripes VERY SMALL in context. I had only TWO CHAPTERS LEFT when we had to leave for Thanksgiving! Dang family get-togethers! :D